William l



wa Ln ELECTRIC SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION mm Aus..191s.

1 ,3 1 7,05 3 Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

lvwewboz w. L. ,TA RR Moz/nui UNiTED STATES PATENT ermee.

WLLIAM L. STARR, 0F AMERICUS, GEORGIA.

Application 'led August a, 191s.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. STARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Americus, in the county of Sumter, State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Electric-Switch Lock; and I do hereby declare the following tb be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to alock for electric switches, and has for its object to provide a device of thisv character which embodies novel features of construction whereby a knife blade switch such as are commonly employed in stores, dwellings and other buildings for controlling electric lighting and othercircuits can be effectively locked in such a manner as to prevent tampering therewith by children `or unauthorized persons.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of this character which can be readily applied to an ordinary knife blade switch and used in connection therewith, which is adjustable for use under different conditions, and which can be quickly manipulated to lock or release the switch.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a knife blade switch provided with a locking device constructed in accordance with theinvention, the swinging member of the swltch being shown as swung into pos1t1on to close the circuit. v

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the swinging member swung into and locked in an open position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the switch and locking device, the knife blades being shown as locked in an open position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indi- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

Serial No. 248,957.

cated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

For the purpose of illustration the locking device is shown as applied to a conventional knife blade switch which includes an insulating base 1, the spring contact members 2, and the knife blades 3 which are pivoted upon the posts 4a and adapted to be swung into and out of engagement with the spring contact members 2. At their swinging ends the knife blades 3 are connected by a cross bar 4 which is provided with the usual handle 5. All of the above is of the usual and conventional construction.

The locking device includes a bar 6 which `projects from one end of the switch base 1 and is rigidly secured to the base by suitable means such as the screws 7. A slide 8 is mounted upon the locking bar 6 and carries a standard 9 upon the upper end of which a locking arm 10 is pivoted at 11. A second slide 12 is also mounted upon the locking bar and provided with a standard 13 which is looped to provide a keeper adapted to receive the free end of the arm 10. It will be obvious that when the swinging member of the switch is swung rearwardly into an open position and the cross bar 4 thereof brought between the standards 9 and 13, with the arm 10 swung over the cross bar and engaged by the standard 13, it will be impossible to swing the knife blades back into position to close the electric circuit.

A tang 14 is carried by the slide 8 and extends along the top of the bar 6, passing through the slide 12 which is also provided with a short tang 15. Those tangs 14 and 15, as well as the locking bar 6 are provided with perforations 16, and when the device is in operative position the opening 16 of the tang 15 is brought into registry with one of the openings 16 in the tang 14, and also one of the openings 16 in the bar 6, and the shackle of a conventional padlock 17 inserted through the registering openings. The parts are thus securely locked in position so that it is impossible for any children or unauthorized persons to tamper with the Switch. However, when it is desired to close the switch, it is merely necessary to remove the padlock 17 and move either the slide 12 or the slide 8 a suflicient amount to release ioo the arm 10, whereupon the swinging member of the switch can beeswung forwardly and the knife bladesbrought into engagement with the spring contacts 2.

Having thus described the invention,k

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is :M

1. The combination with a knife time' switch, of a bar projecting from the switch base, a pair of slides adjustableupon the bar, standards projecting from the slides, a pivoted locking arm vcarried byV one standard and adapted to extend over the swinging member of the switch and engage the other standard, and means for locking the vstandards in an adjusted position upon the slides in adjusted positions, a standard pro,-

jecting from one slide, a pivoted locking arm carried by the standard and a looped standard projecting from the other slide.

for receiving the end ofthe locking arm.

b aseand provided with a series of perforations, apair of slides mounted upon the bar, tangsprojecting Vfrom the slides and v overlapping each other andthe bar, said tangs being provided with perforations of which selected Ones can be brought into registry withone of the perforations Yof the bar, a lock for engaging the registering Vperforations to lock the slides in position upon the bar, a standard upon one oftheV slides, a swinging locking arm carried by the standard, and a looped standard carried by the other slide for engaging the locking arm.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification `in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

n WILLIAM L. STARR. Witnesses: i y Y Y J. EfSHEPPARD,

I-I. B. WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained vfor ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,l

Washington, D. C. 

